Based on initial planning by the California Commission for Teacher Preparation and Licensing and extensive discussions by teachers, teacher educators, researchers, and representatives of educational organizations in California, National Education Program Associates developed a design for the second Phase of a multi-year research effort, the Beginning Teacher Evaluation Study. The research design involves the collection of pretest and posttest data on student achievement in reading and mathematics from a sample of students in grades two and five in California public schools. In addition, data will be collected about teacher and student background and characteristics, school and district characteristics, and the teaching behaviors of the teachers within the sample. The analysis of data was planned to focus on the identification of teacher behaviors which contribute to student academic performance. Additional goals of the data analyses include the determination of the influence of various background characteristics upon teacher behaviors and upon student achievement. (Author/RC)